It is times such as now that the necessity for a nutritious and delicious diet is more important than ever. Eating a diet rich in raw foods goes along way to supporting natural detoxing and alkalising the body by minimising the loss of enzymes and phytonutrients that may be destroyed in the cooking process. And for those who think eating raw is akin to living the life of a rabbit, the folks at Huckleberry have changed our perceptions by introducing us to this deliciously decadent raw banana ice cream. Perfect for children and adults alike, this recipe is also a great way to utilise ripe bananas.
Ingredients 20 pitted dates, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp raw honey
2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch ground cinnamon, to taste
4 cups sliced very ripe bananas
½ cup raw cashews coarsely chopped
1/4 cup roughly chopped almonds
Method
1. Soak dates in lukewarm water to cover for 10 minutes. Drain dates and reserve soaking liquid.
2. In a food processor, blend dates with three to four tablespoons of soaking liquid, honey, coconut oil, vanilla and cinnamon until smooth.
3. Add bananas to food processor and blend until mostly smooth, leaving some small chunks of banana intact if desired. Transfer banana mixture to a stainless steel bowl and stir in cashews.
4. Freeze mixture, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a semi-solid state, 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Allow to thaw at room temperature 30 minutes to an hour before serving. Sprinkle each serving with roughly chopped almonds.
With experience working for leading jeweller Bulgari in New York, Rukaiya Daud turned her eye to beautiful everyday objects when she returned to New Zealand, founding Fourth St. From ornate hair pins to solid stone cups, Daud’s eclectic approach always achieves a sophisticated finish. Here she turns her vision on her own likes, such as Sade and massages.
My personal style can be defined as: In the words of my dear best friend: Quirky cool, effortless chic, classic yet fun-spirited.
The last thing I bought and loved was: A Christopher Esber knitted cardigan from Muse, a brown silk vintage dress online and classic gold hoops.
Formentera
An unforgettable place I visited was: There are too many to name, but I’ll go with Formentera [the Spanish island]. The laid back cool, fresh seafood and history blew my mind. I was on a boat and we explored different parts each day. Days were filled swimming and reading then going to the shore for meals.
Next place I’d like to go to: Any of our Pacific island neighbours. I’ve heard magical tales of jungles and waterfalls in Samoa and swimming with whales in Tonga. Visually I am also drawn to The Pacific. I love the organic forms of wooden hand carved objects and statues, the meaningful geometric patterns and shapes of their art and buildings painted in bold, brave colour. Warm hearts, big smiles, fresh fish and beautiful beaches also seal the deal.
An object I would never part with is: I have an opal and ruby ring that my grandmother gifted me. Both my mum and aunty thought they were going to get it, but I received it in the end – ha! I wear it most days and when I’m not wearing it I have a tan outline of it on my right ring finger.
My favourite app is: Todist is the best productivity app I’ve found and the only one I have been able to navigate. If I can, anybody can! I also love Insight Timer for Yoga Nidra.
An indulgence I would never forgo is: Taking the time to catch up with close friends. They give me energy, make me laugh and help me see things more clearly.
If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city it would be… The Parisian flea markets for homewares and furniture and the Marais for clothes. I have heard Shibuya in Tokyo has great vintage, although I have never been.
Bianca Jagger
Amal Clooney
My style icon is: Bianca Jagger for her wardrobe and Amal Clooney for her life, intelligence and service.
The best book I’ve read in the last year is:Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson had a lasting impact on me.
In my fridge you’ll always find: Lots of veggies. If I am well behaved and organised I’ll do a market haul on a Sunday. Courgettes, cauliflower, broccoli, hummus, all the herbs, red onion pickles, oat milk, olives, capers, lemons and eggs. Condiments. Lots of spicy condiments. Oh and cheese.
My favourite room in my house is: My bedroom.
I recently discovered: The power of the edit. Saying no.
Isamu Noguchi
The one artist whose work I would collect is (if price is not an issue) Sculptures from Isamu Noguchi.
The podcast I listen to is: Economist Radio. To the point and informative. There is so much noise when it comes to information. The world is so complex. By the time events reach headlines there are so many underlying factors and reasons why systems and countries are the way they are. I’m trying to educate myself more so that I can read the news from a point of educated understanding and not judgement.
The best gift I ever received was: An island holiday from a best friend. I took lots of memory photos that I will cherish forever. That feeling of pure contentment when you are at your most relaxed state. It’s the best.
The last meal out I had that truly impressed me was: The flounder and carrot salad at Celeste. I believe the team there is truly talented. Emma, Nick and Gatlin make you feel like you’re at home when you arrive. They have a warm energy and refreshing perspective. They truly love what they do and it shows.
The beauty / grooming product I can’t live without is: A nice face oil to massage my face with at night.
The last music I downloaded was: Sade.
If I wasn’t doing what I am, I would be: A teacher or an architect.
My favourite pampering treatment is: A good massage.
I have a collection of: Books, jewels and friends.
Expand your basic cocktail repertoire by ordering some fruit and vegetables. Turn to lime, coconut, chilli and watermelon for devilish drinks that boost your spirits and vitamin intake.
Watermelon Spritz with Chilli vodka
Ingredients 30ml chilli infused vodka 15ml Martini Bianco 15ml Aperol 30ml fresh watermelon juice 45ml Soda 1 Mint sprig 1 crack of black pepper
Method 1. In a mason jar crush large chunks of watermelon with a muddler. Strain out the fresh juice and set aside. 2. Measure and pour the chilli infused vodka, Martini Bianco, Aperol and fresh watermelon juice into a stemless wine glass. Swirl to combine. 3. Half fill a second stemless wine glass with ice, pour in the soda and top with the watermelon mixture. 4. Garnish with mint and dust with cracked black pepper to serve.
Chilli Vodka Infusion Slice 5-6 fresh chillies and put them into a full bottle of vodka. Leave for two hours and the infusion will be ready to use.
Method Simply shake liquid ingredients over ice and double strain to serve. Garnish with fresh chilli.
For infused gin We infused 200g desiccated coconut per litre of gin. Allow to infuse for at least 48 hours before straining out solids.
For chilli syrup Finely dice 5 chilli peppers. Dissolve 500g white sugar with 500ml water. Add chillies and pop on medium heat. Let simmer until desired heat and consistency are reached (should coat the back of a spoon). Strain out solids and let cool.
Fejoia Caipiroska
Ingredients: 60ml Vodka 2 Feijoas 1 Lime (cut into 6 wedges) 1 tsp Raw sugar 1 sprig of fresh Mint to garnish Crushed ice
Method: 1. Scoop out the flesh of two feijoas per Caipiroska and whiz in a blender for several seconds. 2. Pour into a glass, add the sugar, squeeze in juice from lime wedges, add the wedges to the mix, then muddle just enough to dissolve the sugar. 3. Add vodka and stir together. 4. Fill another glass completely with crushed ice and strain contents over top. Garnish with a sprig of mint and extra lime if desired.
Indulge in a hot, soupy bowl of ramen noodles with this deliciously easy recipe.
With a strong need for comfort and all this time on your hands, there’s no better time to forgo the cheap packet variety and learn how to make ramen from scratch. Ramen is the Japanese rendition of Chinese Lo Mein. These noodles have a long and rich history in Japan since being adopted from China, with many different and fantastic versions of the noodle dish, taking anywhere from two minutes to two days to prepare. This recipe is as achievable as it is delicious.
Garnishes
4 eggs
1 braised bamboo shoot (sliced)
4 green shallots (finely sliced)
2 tsp sesame oil
12 pieces of kamaboko (Japanese fish cake)
300g dried ramen noodles
500g pork belly (skin removed but as much fat as possible intact)
1/4 cup flaky salt 1/4 cup sugar
One day in advance, place the pork belly fat side up in a small, snug-fitting roasting pan. In a small bowl, mix the salt and sugar together evenly and rub over the pork belly. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 220°C. Discard any liquid that came out in the pan.
Place the pork belly in the oven, uncovered. Cook for 40 minutes. Baste the pork belly 20 minutes in with the rendered fat. Continue to baste it until the pork belly has a golden brown exterior.
Reduce the oven temperature to 130 °C and cook for another hour to an hour and a half, or until the belly is tender but not quite falling apart. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the pork belly to a plate. Allow the pork belly to cool slightly. When the pork belly is cool enough to handle, wrap the belly in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Allow the pork belly to thoroughly chill then slice into 1cm thick slices.
Place pork stock and chicken stock in a pot and bring to a very gentle simmer. Add kombu and shitake mushrooms to the stock and simmer very gently for 30 minutes. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Reduce to a simmer then add whole eggs and cook for 6 minutes. Remove eggs and place in a bowl of chilled water to cool. Finely slice the spring onions and fish cakes. Cook noodles according to directions then strain. Strain the stock then return to the heat. Add the sugar, tamari and mirin.
Peel the eggs and slice in half lengthwise. Divide the noodles between 4 bowls then arrange the eggs, pork, kamaboko and spring onions on top. Ladle over the hot broth and drizzle a few drops of sesame oil over the top.
One of the best chefs our country has to offer, it goes without saying that Josh Emett sure knows his way around a kitchen. Yet despite being best known for the gastronomic creations he whips up at Ostro,Hawker & Roll and Madam Woo (alongside Queenstown’s Rata) it’s a different cooking quarters that has been the focus of our attention of late: his own kitchen at home.
Via a spate of recent video recipes, taken in his home and delivered to his rapidly growing Instagram audience (42,680 followers and counting), Emett has been teaching the masses how to become better equipped in the cooking department — whether it be by divulging the secret to the perfect, creamy mashed potato or delivering a step-by-step guide on the ultimate, mouth-watering eggplant parmigiana. Stealing the spotlight in each of Emett’s videos, however, has been the environs he cooks within: a spot that’s giving us serious kitchen envy for more than one reason.
Undeniably the crowning glory of Emett’s home, the chef and restaurateur’s kitchen is as carefully constructed as the dishes he works his culinary magic on. The brainchild of both Emett and Alan Bertenshaw, director of Matisse, local distributors of coveted Italian kitchen brand Arclinea, the duo worked together to create a space that is both refined and functional. The result is a stunning, modernistic marriage of glistening accents and timber finishes. A beautiful space that is well-deserving of the exquisite dishes the chef is known to produce.
If you’ve ever faced a sample sale you know that fashion and food aren’t always friends but all levels of taste combine at the magnificent, Michelin-starred Gucci Osteria in Florence. “I thought of this recipe that uses fennel as a basic ingredient because it is a seasonal vegetable and because of all the stories and curiosities surrounding this vegetable,” chef Karime Lopez says. “In Greek and Roman history, in fact, fennel was considered a symbol of strength and vigour and they believe it brought luck.” “Some treatises on Ancient Rome reported how Roman gladiators added fennel to their dishes to be successful in the arena… This is also the reason why – for the Gucci Osteria menu – we called this dish ‘Lucky Fennel.’”
Lucky Fennel (Linguine with Fennel Cream) Serves 2
Ingredients 4 Fennel, for the cream 2 Fennel, sliced 2 Red prawns 200g Wild Fennel 20 Pistachios 1 Lemon Lemon oil 400g Seed oil Extra Virgin olive oil Salt 100g Linguine (Pasta)
Method For the Cream 1. Wash and cut the fennel coarsely, steam them at 90ºC for 2 hours 2. Drain the fennel once cooked and whisk them with Evo oil and salt until creamy 3. Pass the cream in the chinois strainer with fine mesh
For the Wild Fennel Oil 1. Whisk 400g of seed oil with 200g of wild fennel 2. Then heat the oil in a saucepan and bring it to a temperature of 80ºC 3. Filter the oil in a sac à poche (piping bag) and then filter it with the chinois strainer with fine mesh
For the Pistachios 1. Toast the pistachios in the oven at 190 ºC for 4 minutes 2. Grate them with a microplane
For the dish 1. Cook the linguine pasta in abundant salted water for about 5 minutes 2. Drain the linguine and finish cooking in the pan for 3 minutes, adding the fennel cream and the lemon oil to make them creamy 3. Season the raw and finely sliced fennel with the wild fennel oil 4. Season the prawns with Evo oil and the lemon peel and cut them into 6 pieces each
To serve Spread the grated pistachios on the base of the plate, and lay a nest of linguine on top, developing it in height. Add 6 pieces of prawn, other pistachio powder and finely sliced fennel. Garnish the dish with wild fennel leaves.
Born in Sydney, Carol Crawford’s interest in art and sculpture was piqued on frequent visits to galleries with her parents, “I was always a doodler and a maker of things,” she says, “oh, and a chronic day-dreamer.”
For anyone unfamiliar with Crawford’s work, her sculptures have gained quite a following among fashion and design insiders. Featured in esteemed publications like Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue for the unique shapes she creates out of stone, Crawford manages to take a solid material and transform it into curved, interlocking forms that would typically lend themselves to a more fluid medium.
But for Crawford, the artistic process is less about forcing her stone to shed its straight lines and corners and yield to her tools, and more about working with its natural properties. She explains, “the sculptures evolve organically as a conversation between myself and the stone.” Going on to say, “I feel I am merely the medium, and the result is what was always meant to be.”
As a result, no two sculptures by Crawford are the same. And when you see them in a space, you feel the individual energy the artist has imbued in each — every one different but joined by the motif of rounded movement. Having just returned from a residency in Berlin and with a number of interesting projects on the horizon, Crawford is the creative we have our eyes on right now.
There is no doubt that we are living in extraordinary times but immersing ourselves in the lives of others can show that remarkable things happen to people everyday. From sports stars to the First Lady, women on the run to society queens, here are the lives the Denizen team is looking into.
Claire Sullivan-Kraus – founder and editor-in-chief
Will by Will Self It may be a dark journey into heroin-not-so-chic but I do love Will Self’s writing. It’s set during the eighties when the writer threatened his brilliant future with destructive behaviour.
Damien Woolnough – editor
Among The Porcupinesby Carol Matthau The wife of actor Walter Matthau led a life worthy of a film. When her mother married an aviation millionaire she went from rags to riches living on Fifth Avenue and becoming best friends with Gloria Vanderbilt and Oona Chaplin. With doll-like looks and a sharp tongue, Matthau moved through high society, the literary worlds of Truman Capote and her two-time husband William Saroyan and eventually Hollywood.
UnorthodoxThe Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman I devoured the Netflix series faster than Tiger King so Feldman’s book is my next step into the confronting world of ultra-organised religion. Feldman’s brave search for Freedom offers a glimpse into other worlds while shining a light on our own.
Fliss Grennell – advertising manager
The Girl With Seven Namesby David John and Lee Hyeon-seo The thrilling story of one woman’s escape from totalitarian North Korea and her battle to be reunited with her family.
Fran King – art director
Everything I Know About Loveby Dolly Alderton Apart from incredibly snappy writing, this is worth the read alone if it stops you from throwing a Rod Stewart-themed party. Just don’t do it.
Arabella Nelson – digital manager
Openby Andre Agassi An absolute classic that looks at the tennis champion’s battles with drugs and rivals. It’s hard to believe that when he started playing, he hated the game.
Becoming by Michelle Obama The most memorable First Lady of the modern era, Michelle Obama is also one of the most inspiring. Her rise to the top as a lawyer and in public service puts this Obama front and centre, where she belongs.
The eagerly-awaited Commercial Bay development is set to return Auckland’s city centre to its historical roots by showcasing the best of New Zealand creativity to the world. Skincare brand Aotea well and truly fits the bill with its ethical approach, focused on giving to customers and the community of Great Barrier Island.
Meet the maker, Aotea founder Tama Toki, as he shares his vision and explains why he joined the Commercial Bay community.
An eighties style house on Melbourne’s coastal strip The Esplanade has been given the 2020 treatment by Golden. The four bedroom, five bathroom received a glamorous makeover with Andorra Limestone flooring and a soothing palette of greys and charcoal providing a serene backdrop to bursts of colour from carefully curated furnishings. With the existing eighties-statement staircase replaced by a sculptural vertical balustrade and curved concrete, and light flooding the living spaces thanks to strategic skylights, the result is organic in texture and flow, leaving the past far behind.
For more exclusive access to what the city has to offer, engaging content, excellent imagery and thought provoking commentary on the life that surrounds you, subscribe to Denizen magazine now.
